Draw a molecular orbital energy level diagram for each of...

Draw a molecular orbital energy level diagram for each of the following species: $\mathrm{He}_{2}, \mathrm{HHe}, \mathrm{He}_{2}^{+} .$ Compare their relative stabilities in terms of bond orders. (Treat HHe as a diatomic molecule with three electrons.)

Key Concepts

Molecular Orbital Theory

Molecular Orbital Theory describes how atomic orbitals combine to form molecular orbitals that extend over the entire molecule. It involves the construction of bonding and antibonding orbitals by the linear combination of atomic orbitals, and it produces an energy level diagram that predicts electron distribution and overall molecular stability.

Bond Order

Bond order is calculated as one-half the difference between the number of electrons in bonding orbitals and the number in antibonding orbitals. A higher bond order generally corresponds to a stronger, more stable bond, making it a crucial quantitative measure in comparing the stability of different molecular species.

Diatomic Molecular Orbital Energy Diagrams

Diatomic molecular orbital energy diagrams graphically represent the energetic ordering of molecular orbitals formed when two atoms combine. These diagrams illustrate how electrons occupy bonding and antibonding orbitals, providing essential insight into molecular properties, such as bond order, magnetism, and relative stability.

Effect of Charge and Heteronuclear Interactions in MO Diagrams

Introducing an extra or missing electron (as in ions) or combining atoms of different elements (in heteronuclear molecules) can alter the energy levels and population of molecular orbitals. These changes affect bond order and are key to understanding how ionization and differences in atomic orbital energy impact molecular stability.

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